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maggie

N ow that it’s out in the open that Vladi and I hooked up, I have zero reason to hold back being handsy with him at this little night club.

My inner feral cat has come out to play, dragging his fine ass out onto the dance floor after he protested for what seemed like an hour claiming he didn’t want to leave his drink unattended.

Who knew whispering in his ear that if he danced with me, I’d let him give me a Turkish Snowcone when we got back to the room would work as well as it did.

He gave me a very confused look and asked what that was, but I told him he had to come dance with me to find out.

Now moving in sync, our bodies pressed so closely together there isn’t any room for air, I can’t help but have my hands rubbing over every inch of his chest. Our friends are all engrossed with their own partners so they don’t notice us, and even if they see us, I don’t give a fuck.

Vladi asked me to come here with him. He actually used the word date.

He’s here. With me. Out in the open. For the world and our nosy-ass friends to see.

I’m taking advantage of this moment. Taking advantage of him.

Am I squeezing this man’s ass on the dance floor?

Fuck yea I am. Is he enjoying it? Fuck yeah he is.

Standing this close to him, grinding our bodies against each other, there’s no way I couldn’t notice he wasn’t enjoying it, even if I had to drag him out here kicking and screaming.

But now? He’s looking at me like a real wolf ready to capture and devour a fox.

Note to self: order a super slutty fox costume.

Also, a red riding hood one. Maybe a wolf or a hunter for Vladi.

The DJ shifts the beat into something fast and frantic, breaking our trance. I give him a quick kiss, his arms pulling me impossibly closer. “I’ll be right back, Wolfie, I need to go use the ladies’ room.”

“I’ll go with you,” he says instantly, a low warning in his tone.

“Oh my God, you don’t have to escort me to the restroom. Look, Hayes just sat down over there. Go sit with your bestie for a bit. The bathroom is right over there. You can watch the door like a hawk. I’ll just be gone for a minute.”

“No, it’s late, and I don’t want you walking by yourself.”

I roll my eyes at his overbearing self. “Vladimir Justin Volkov, I can go to the bathroom by myself. I’m a grown ass woman, not a toddler.”

He tilts his head, narrowing his eyes. “Justin?”

“Do you have a middle name I can use for when you’re being an ass? Otherwise, you’re Justin. It just fits.”

He shakes his head, annoyed, but the smirk on his face tells me he’s not as annoyed as he’s pretending to be. And for some bizarre reason, his grumpiness makes my heart pound.

“We don’t have middle names in Russia. You Americans and your obsession with excess and being, what do you call it, extra ?”

I can’t help but snort at calling a middle name extra, but damn if it isn’t the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.

“Well then…Justin it is.” I reach up to cup his cheeks and give him another kiss.

“Seriously, the bathroom is right there. Go sit with Larsy for a few. Then we can talk some more about snowcones,” I say with a wink as I walk of f.

I peek back to see him standing like a statue in the middle of the dance floor, watching me walk off toward the restroom, and wave my hand and mouth for him to go sit with his buddies for a few.

Then I make a full on, fast as hell, half jog to the bathroom so I don’t piss myself.

After emptying my bladder of what seemed like the entire Caribbean Sea, I do a quick glam check in the mirror.

The alcohol is kicking in, but that’s not what has my heart racing and my head spinning.

I feel like I’m dreaming because this man is everything.

And dammit, I have never smiled this much on a date in my entire life.

My cheeks hurt and butterflies have invaded my veins.

I feel like we’re actually making progress, like this could be real.

We could go back to Milwaukee and be… us .

He’s apologized. Opened up to me. Taken care of me.

He’s been…he’s been a boyfriend . Between the rum and the fact that he asked me on a date, I think I may even have the courage to ask him about a relationship tonight.

Fuck, my hopes are high, but I can’t help it.

Vladimir Justin Volkov, what are you doing to me?

Walking out the door, I feel a hand grip my arm and pull me down the small, dim corridor the restrooms are in. I smile because, of course , he had to follow me here and make sure I was okay. “Couldn’t wait for the snowcone, huh, Wolfie?”

But he doesn’t answer. And his normal citrus and amber scent is replaced with salt and disgusting B.O. This feels wrong. That’s not his grip on my arm. This fucking hurts . A chill coils in my gut as my breath catches. This is wrong.

This is not Vladi.

“What the hell are you doing?! Let me go!”

He responds in a familiar voice, shoving my back against the wall.

“Hello, Maggie. Did you miss me?”

Bile rises in my throat. “Carlos? What the fuck are you doing?! ”

“You said you’d come visit me today, but you didn’t come. I had to come find you. I thought we had a good time snorkeling earlier this week, and I wanted to pick up where we left off.”

“What the fuck?! Get off me! I wasn’t actually going to come and visit you. Everything I said on that boat was harmless joking. You flirted with me to get a tip, I flirted…it was all just a joke!” I say as he digs his fingers into my arms, trapping me between him and this damn brick wall.

“It didn’t feel like a joke.” He leans into me, his desire digging into my hip as my throat closes.

“You are so beautiful. There was something magical happening between us. I felt it. I know you felt it too,” he hissed as he tries to kiss me.

My eyes burn as I quickly move my face to avoid his advance.

“I didn’t fucking feel anything, you jerk.

Get off me!” I scream, but the sound of the club swallows my voice.

No one can hear me. I try to knee him in the groin, but he shifts his body so I can’t.

I freeze, darkness creeping along the edge of my vision as fear threatens to overtake me, when he quickly pulls me off the wall and slams me back against it, my head cracking against the brick behind me.

FUCK. Fuck that hurts. The music distorts.

Everything tilts on its side. I’m struggling to keep my wits about me.

I refuse to let a motherfucking snorkel boat captain assault me on my vacation, so I wriggle and scream and fight as hard as I can.

Then he’s off me. Completely off me. And completely gone .

My head is still fuzzy, my vision blurred, but I look around and it all comes into sharp focus.

Vladi.

Vladi pummeling Carlos’s face in. Every muscle and ounce of strength directed at the piece of shit beneath him.

Shit.

His fists refuse to slow, the power of his blows raining down mercilessly .

He’s going to murder him . Then the reality of what’s going through his mind hits me like a punch to the gut and I can’t breathe.

Fuck this is bad. I race over to him as fast as I’m able, but it’s like a dream where I’m trying to move my legs, but they won’t work.

Tears roll down my face, and everything is out of focus and swimming around me.

My heart feels like it’s in my throat, preventing me from shouting out to my Wolfie, but I push past it.

I have to. I have to push past it. For him .

I finally find my voice as my shaky legs finally get close to him, “Vladi, stop! Vladi, please…stop! It’s Maggie.

It’s Magdalina. I’m here. I’m okay. Just please stop! ”

But he doesn’t hear me. I’m not sure he can hear me.

His eyes look like he’s in a trance, like he can’t see or hear anything or anyone around him.

He just keeps beating the shit out of the motherfucker’s face.

I turn around to go get help, but like the team they are, the Riders are already here and pulling Vladi back.

Everything next happens so fast, my sluggish thoughts can hardly keep up.

Olivia rushes to my side, hooking her pinky in mine.

Someone says they’ll go get security. Bougie tells someone to call nuevo-uno-uno.

And Vladi is sitting on the ground, tears streaming down his face, gasping for air.

I run over, collapsing next to him. “Vladi…I’m okay.

I’m right here. Vladi, you saved me. You helped me.

I’m fine.” But he’s not hearing me. He’s crying and struggling to catch his breath, holding his hand over his chest. “Somebody help him!” I scream as I stroke his hair, trying to calm him down as the literal waterfall of emotions continues to pour down our cheeks.

He can’t breathe. He can’t breathe. He can’t breathe!

God, why didn’t I just let him come with me? Fuck.